Vodafone launches new app for road safety

With an aim to prevent road accident, India's second largest telecom service provider Vodafone today announced the launch of the mobile app for Android smartphones.

The company has partnered with SaveLIFE Foundation for the app. A Road Safe for Android app has multiple features including one that will automatically disable calls/SMS/Push notifications for the driver when a vehicle speed is above 10 km/hour. The app, which is available for free download, also has tips and information on traffic fines and offenses.

"We hope the findings of this first of its kind report will draw focus to the perils of ignoring Road Safety norms and help save lives by getting citizens to use the convenient mobile app. Vodafone is happy to have had SaveLIFE Foundation as our partner to come up with this invaluable study that we hope will alert citizens to hazards of distracted driving and help prevent road mishaps, said P. Balaji, Director- Regulatory, External Affairs, Regulatory & CSR, Vodafone India.

Abhay Damle, Joint Secretary, MoRTH stated, "The Government of India is committed to reducing road crash deaths and injuries. The Motor Vehicles Amendment Bill has been passed by Lok Sabha. The Bill is likely to be considered by Rajya Sabha in the monsoon session. The Bill provides for strict penalties for dangerous driving including a use of mobile phones while driving. We urge drivers to refrain from this practice."

The company has also released on mobile phone usage behavior which says, 41 percent people use phones for work-related purposes while driving, while 20 per cent of respondents admits to having had near-miss situations or having experienced road crash due to using mobile phones while driving. The study reveals 94 per cent of people acknowledges using mobile phones during driving as being dangerous but 47 percent of them admit to receiving calls while driving. About 96 percent of people spoken to tend to feel unsafe as passengers if the driver was using the mobile phone while driving.

Vodafone and Savelife Foundation will also issue a video to alert citizens to ignore phone calls while driving, regardless of the situation or occasion, on hazards of distracted driving will be broadcast on TV, Cinema halls, out of home media and social media.